HDMI Cables

HDMI is a digital video/audio signal format which, since its introduction just a few years ago, has taken the home theater world by storm. An HDMI cable consists primarily of a set of shielded twisted pairs which carry video data, together with embedded audio, at extremely high bitrates. While analogue component video is, in practice, every bit as good a method of delivering video to displays as HDMI, the content-providing industries have strongly supported HDMI because it provides a platform for the implementation of HDCP (High Definition Content Protection) to prevent consumers from having complete access to the contents of high-definition digital recordings. As one might expect from a standard that was developed more to serve the content providers than to aid the consumer, HDMI has presented a few problems. Unlike analogue component video, the signal is not robust over distance because it was designed to run balanced when it should have been run unbalanced (SDI, the commercial digital video standard, can be run hundreds of feet over a single coax without any performance issues); the HDMI cable is an unnecessarily-complicated rat's-nest arrangement involving nineteen conductors; switches, repeaters and distribution amplifiers, by virtue of this complicated scheme, are made unnecessarily complicated and troublesome; and the HDMI plug is prone to falling out of the jack with the slightest tug. On the plus side, in the great majority of simple installations, HDMI works trouble-free, and its "one-cable" approach to home theater interconnection has simplified the process of setting up most equipment racks.

BJC Belden Bonded-Pair HDMI Cables:

HDMI is a fragile interface, not least because of the difficulties of manufacturing twisted-pair HDMI cable to the fine tolerances required to handle the extraordinary bandwidth requirements of the HDMI signal. To overcome those difficulties, we sought the help of Belden, the world's technology leader in communications cable products, and we asked Belden to use its patented, exclusive Bonded-Pair technology to build us an HDMI cable with extraordinary impedance stability and low skew. The result is a pair of products: the BJC Series-1 23.5 AWG HDMI Cable, and the BJC Series-F2 (and its updated version, Series-FE) 28 AWG HDMI Cable. These are the only HDMI cables on the market incorporating bonded-pair technology; they are also the only HDMI cable stocks made here in the United States -- in Monticello, Kentucky and Richmond, Indiana. While economic and practical constraints have required us to have connectorization and final assembly done in China, both the Series-1 HDMI cable and the Series-F2/FE HDMI cable are, on a cost basis, well over 50% average U.S.-manufactured content, unlike our competitors' HDMI cables, which (despite, in some cases, careful attempts to avoid the point) are manufactured entirely in China from start to finish. Both versions of this HDMI cable are compatible with all versions of the HDMI specification, as further detailed below. If you're interested in the question of HDMI 1.4 compliance, see our article on this subject.

BJC Belden Series-F2 and FE HDMI Cable: a Triumph Over the Limits of Wire Gage

For short runs, our recommended cable is the BJC Series-F2 HDMI cable or its new with-Ethernet version, the Series-FE. If you've read much about HDMI cable online, you know that most manufacturers use wire gage as their primary indicator of quality, because in the absence of any other measure of cable quality, people tend to assume that larger-gage cable will perform better than smaller-gage cable. This is clearly true for power applications like speaker cable; it's really not as meaningful for high-speed data applications like HDMI, where signal integrity is more important than mere signal amplitude. The Series-F2 and FE bring Belden's bonded-pair technology, with its low skew and tight impedance control, to small-gage cable and significantly outperform conventional twisted-pair designs. These cables, though made in 28 AWG and therefore quite thin and flexible, are certified under Category 2 ("high-speed") to 15 feet, considerably longer than any other 28 AWG HDMI cable. While a larger HDMI cable of the same design (our Series-1, below) will outperform it in distance runs, when extreme distance is not required the Series-F2 or FE will provide identical performance to the much heavier, stiffer, larger-gage HDMI cable, without the difficulty of bending and fitting that the larger HDMI cable can present. The Series-F2 and FE are rated CM for in-wall installation (higher than the typical CL2 or CL3). View our full spec sheet for this product.

Where performance over distance is required, our best cable is our original Belden Series-1, a 23.5 AWG cable. The Series-1 is quite thick and stiff, which is a drawback in terms of installation convenience, but performs better over distance than anything else we have seen--and this is borne out by its independent HDMI certifications. It is certified to the longest distances of any HDMI cable we know of--45 feet for Category 1 ("Standard" speed), 25 feet for Category 2 ("High speed". In actual usage, it ordinarily will work at distances far exceeding these--we have run 1080p video through a 125 foot cable without any information loss, but results will vary depending on the capabilities of the sending and receiving circuits of the devices in use. Like the Series-F2, this cable uses Belden's patented bonded-pair technology and the cable stock is manufactured at Belden facilities in Kentucky and Indiana; foot for foot, it is almost certainly the costliest HDMI cable stock in the world to manufacture, but we sell it at a price lower than many "premium" brands that lack the specs and the certifications that this cable holds.Read more details, or view specs, on our BJC Series-1 Bonded-Pair HDMI Cable.

Tartan HDMI Cables: Our Economy Brand

Sometimes, the best value for the money is the best product you can find; but sometimes, it's the least expensive product you can find. For those more inclined to the latter than the former, we offer Tartan brand HDMI cables. These come in three types: tin-plated-copper 24 and 22 AWG, CL2 rated cables, and high-flex, tin-plated-copper 28 AWG cables (not CL2). The cable stocks used in these products come from Copartner and LTK, both of which are leading Chinese manufacturer of HDMI cable (and the latter of which is a Belden subsidiary). Tartan HDMI cables are listed below; if you'd like more information on the Tartan line, see our Tartan HDMI Cables page.

DVI/HDMI Cables:

Most of the cables listed above are available in DVI/HDMI configuration as well as the standard HDMI/HDMI configuration. We have moved those cables to a new DVI to HDMI department on this site.

Return Policy:

As with all of our products, we offer a simple and easy return policy. If for any reason you're not completely satisfied, just return the cables, undamaged, within 30 days and we'll refund your purchase price in full.

BJC Series-FE Belden Bonded-Pair HDMI Cables:

New "with Ethernet" version of our 28 AWG High-Flex Bonded Pair design; our favourite for runs up to 25 feet.

Length

Price

Colour

Length

Price

Colour

1 foot

8 foot

2 foot

9 foot

3 foot

10 foot

4 foot

12 foot

5 foot

15 foot

6 foot

20 foot

7 foot

25 foot

BJC Series-1 Belden Bonded-Pair HDMI Cables:

Our best cable for distance runs.

Length

Price

Colour

Length

Price

Colour

4 foot

35 foot

6 foot

40 foot

8 foot

45 foot

9 foot

50 foot

10 foot

60 foot

Out of Stock

15 foot

70 foot

20 foot

80 foot

25 foot

90 foot

30 foot

100 foot

Tartan Cable 24 AWG HDMI Cables:

(Chinese-made, 24 AWG Tinned Copper, CL2 rated)

NOTE: If black cable is ordered and we are out of stock, we will substitute Series-2 cable if available

Length

Price

Colour

Length

Price

Colour

2 foot

12 foot

3 foot

15 foot

4 foot

20 foot

5 foot

25 foot

6 foot

30 foot

7 foot

35 foot

8 foot

40 foot

9 foot

45 foot

10 foot

50 foot

Tartan Cable 28 AWG HDMI Cables:

(Chinese-made, 28 AWG Tinned Copper, our most flexible HDMI)

Length

Price

Colour

Length

Price

Colour

1 foot

7 foot

2 foot

8 foot

3 foot

9 foot

4 foot

10 foot

5 foot

12 foot

6 foot

15 foot

Tartan Cable 22 AWG HDMI Cables: Clearance sale priced

(Chinese-made, 22 AWG Tinned Copper, rather thick and inflexible)

Length

RegularPrice

SalePrice

Colour

Length

RegularPrice

SalePrice

Colour

25 foot

38.50

35 foot

50.75

30 foot

45.00

HDMI Adapters:

Description

Price

Female DVI to Male HDMI Adapter

Female HDMI to Male DVI Adapter

Female HDMI to Female HDMI Coupler

HDMI Female to "Type C" (mini) HDMI Male Adapter

Temp. out of stock

HDMI Right-Angle Adapter(turning TOWARDS broadest side of socket)

HDMI Right-Angle Adapter(turning AWAY FROM broadest side of socket)

Out of stock

BJC Series-F2 "Portsaver" (1 foot, male/female cable)

Other HDMI Hardware and Cables:

Description

Price

HDMI Wallplate--UK style plate, 1 port, pigtail type

HDMI Wallplate--UK style plate, 2 port, pigtail type

HDMI Wallplate--1 port, coupler style(in-wall side is at right-angle to faceplate)